Love in the Time of Finals
by avatartrash
Summary: Katara's dorm was always empty, since her roommate slept elsewhere, and thank god that was the case. Some sweet college fluff about our favorite cartoon couple. Smut! in the second to last chapter. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note:_ Ah, junior year of college. Hopefully our Zuko and Katara will find beautiful, sweet, young love. Until then, enjoy angst and sex jokes!

* * *

 ** _November_**

"I'm going…"

Zuko kicked the bunk above him.

"To fucking…"

The groaning and humping stopped.

"Kill you!"

Sokka stuck his head between a space in their bunk bed ladder, "Don't you have an eight a.m. class to get to?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, pulling his long sleeve shirt off as he stood on the dorm floor, "I hate morning classes."

Suki laughed, sitting up and readjusting the covers to hide her bare upper-body, "I can still borrow your car tonight, right?"

"Yea," Zuko yelled from the bathroom, a toothbrush muffling his voice, "whatever."

It took Zuko a good thirty minutes to get ready, and he stumbled through the doorway at 8:07.

The professor didn't pause his lecture as Zuko nonchalantly made his way through the rows of seated students, smirking at Jet's typical greeting: a bunched up paper ball thrown at his head. Mai rolled her eyes and Ty Lee giggled as he continued to walk by.

Suddenly, Zuko stopped, taken aback for a second. There, in his usual spot, sat a girl.

"That's my seat."

What was her name again? Katherine? Katrina?

"Katara," Jet didn't even bother to whisper, even though he sat directly behind her. The girl turned to him, and he burst out laughing, "you savage."

So that was her name.

It made sense now. Jet hadn't shut up about the "hot chick who's in our morning class." His description was surprisingly spot on; tan skin, curvy body, long brown hair, entrancing blue eyes, snarky personality.

"I don't see your name on it," she smirked, and he couldn't move his eyes away from the way her lips moved.

"Whatever," Zuko shuffled down two seats next to her, picking up the band that laid on her desk.

"That's my necklace!" She grabbed his arm as he walked by, blushing for a second at the sudden contact.

He pulled away, investigating the pendant, and shrugged, "I don't see your name on it."

Her mouth dropped for a second. She scowled, but only momentarily, before turning her attention back to the lecture.

Shifting to his seat, he frowned. The window was too far away, Jet was making up any excuse to touch Katara, and Mai and Ty Lee were busy playing tic-tac-toe. By the end of the period, he had memorized the light blue design printed on the stolen jewelry.

* * *

"Why are _you_ up so early?" Suki wrapped Sokka's robe around her body and leaned against the wall of their shared bathroom. "You have, like, an hour and a half until class starts."

Zuko ran a hand through his hair, slamming the medicine cabinet, "It's not like I can get any sleep with you rabbits anyway. It's just _thump, thump, thump_ all night!"

"I can hear you!" Sokka yelled from under the sheets, then proceeded to snore once again.

"It's not _my_ fault you don't have a girlfriend," Suki turned the shower knob on for him. "I'm just waiting for the day you actually bring someone back here and kick _us_ out for the night. You're so weird around girls."

"Well, not to play the 'growing up without a mother' card, but…" Zuko exited the bathroom swiftly, Suki following directly behind him. "And you know Azula's insane. I mean, she almost got kicked out of high school last month because she 'puts other students at risk.' I don't have much to work with. Plus, commitment sucks. Everybody just lets you down."

"You and I both know that's not true," Suki tossed him a plain black t-shirt to match with the gray jeans he was already wearing.

He sighed, she was right, "I just…haven't met anyone."

"You wouldn't know if you had!" She pointed to his pair of white sneakers and placed the black ones he was putting on back on the shelf. "You're too impatient. You never give anyone a chance. The only reason Sokka's your best friend is because you were both assigned to the same dorm. There's plenty of girls who want you, Zuko."

"None of them are worth the time and energy."

"I'm shocked you're so popular on campus," she shoved an apple into his hand and ruffled his hair as he left the dorm, waving to her over his shoulder.

* * *

The door of his next class came into sight. He had forty-five minutes to spare. Great. All of this for a stupid seat.

"Can I have my necklace back? Or will that just embarrass you too much?" No way. No fucking way. There she was, already at the door when he arrived.

He let his eyes trail from her hair, in a sloppy bun, to her breast, in a white crop top, down to the blue skirt that draped so perfectly over her hips. Topped-off with white knee-high socks and grey shoes. Was it just him, or did she look wayyyyyy too stunning for a girl still in school?

"Hello?" She snapped her fingers in his face.

"What?" He retorted, the two or three people in the hallway turned to them, smirking. Boy, was he lucky Jet wasn't here.

"I was just asking for my necklace back…"

He practically threw it in her face, "Here. Whatever. Take it."

He sunk down against the wall and she joined him, "Are you always in a bad mood? Or is it just at 7:13 in the morning?"

She noticed his intense gaze fall on how her dainty hands fiddled with the necklace, and for the first time, was close enough to really inspect the scar that covered his eye. It was chilling, like a million words hid behind it that she was dying to uncover.

He didn't answer, so she whispered, "It was my mother's."

He jolted at her sudden words, his shoulder accidentally hitting hers.

"I know," she cracked a smile. "It's a cliche way of remembering someone. There was a long time when I didn't have anything, but then my grandma found this a couple of years ago, and I rarely ever take it off." Pausing, she held the necklace still in her fist, "Well, except sometimes in class." Her voice quieted, and she looked abashed, "I get nervous and fidget with it."

"I lost my mom, too," he mumbled into his shirt sleeve, which rested on his knees that pressed against his chest. When she stayed quiet, he became defensive. "I mean, I'm just assuming your mom died, or whatever."

"Yea," she placed the necklace into his hand and turned away from him, prompting him to clip it around her neck. After he hesitatingly did, she she stood up.

"Where are you going?" He tried to sound aggressive, but suddenly the four hours of sleep he got caught up to him. It sounded more like a beg to stay.

"We have, like, forty minutes until class starts," she called over her shoulder to him, as she had already almost exited the hallway. "I'm going to the pond."

"Whatever."

She paused, turning around, and looked at him straight in the face, "You can come, if you want."

He frowned, "No."

"Are you sure?" She stared at him for another second before he turned away.

"Stop looking at me. Just go."

And she did.

"Where were you?" Jet whispered to him the same day, as he walked into the class late. Again.

Zuko plopped down next to his friend, "I went to the bathroom, then I saw Jin and Toph. I walked them to their lockers."

Jet pointed to Zuko's old seat, where Katara now sat, "You lost your seat."

Zuko rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

Mai and Ty Lee had moved next to Katara's seat (or, rather, _his_ seat) this class so they could be a part of the conversations. Jet made a game of seeing how many times he could tap Ty Lee before she furiously turned around and flicked him in the nose.

Zuko was not amused.

When the bell rang and the class stood, Katara looked as if she was about to run out of the classroom all together, but Ty Lee stopped her, "Do you want to hang out with us tonight? You can come to Mai and my dorm. We'll order Chinese and watch tv or something."

"I'd love to!" Katara smiled before her face dropped as she caught a glimpse at Mai's sullen expression.

"Don't worry!" Ty Lee beamed, leaning into Katara's ear. "She's always like that. Oh! And by the way, Jet totally likes you."

The two girls turned to where Jet and Zuko stood by the lockers outside of the classroom. Jet was showing off his soccer skills in front of some younger girls and Zuko was laughing silently as he watched.

"Well," Katara shrugged her shoulders, "I guess you may be right. I'll see you girls tonight! I gotta go."

Ty Lee waved as Katara exited the classroom. When she turned the corner, she smacked right into Toph.

"Watch where you're going, Sugar Queen."

"Toph," Katara sighed, straightening out her hair and making sure Toph was alright, "we're not in middle school anymore. You can't call me that."

"Who's gonna stop me?" Her smirk widened way beyond her small face. "Come to the cafeteria with me?"

"Sure," they both began to walk, before Katara opened her mouth again. "I heard you ran into Zuko earlier."

"What?"

"I said, I heard you ran into Zuko earlier."

Toph chuckled, "I haven't seen Sparky since last week's soccer game."

Katara paused for a moment. Why had he lied to Jet? Why had he been late to class? If he had woken up so early to get his seat, why did he just let her have it?

Toph woke her from her trance, "Let's go, slowpoke. I'm starving."

As they ate, Toph talked about how much she hated her gym teacher. Katara smiled and nodded. But the entire time, she couldn't stop thinking about Zuko.

This daydream didn't last long, because Aang, Sokka, and Suki joined them promptly.

"Hey, Sweetie," Aang said, pecking Toph on the cheek.

"Aang," she blushed, punching him on the shoulder, "not in public."

Sokka sat on Katara's left side, and didn't hesitate to dive into his food. Rolling her eyes at her boyfriend, Suki took a seat on the other side of Katara, and leaned her head on her friend's shoulder.

"I'm so tired," she yawned.

"Yea," a voice from behind scoffed, "I wonder why."

The group turned around to be met with a few familiar faces; Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, and the owner of the voice, Jet. They took a seat at the same table.

"So the Capital dynasty decided to grace us with their presence?" Suki teased, making a reference to the town the other group had grown up in.

"It gets so boring just the four of us!" Ty Lee chirped, plopping down on Sokka's side. If Suki wasn't so trusting of Sokka, she would've been annoyed by the girl's constant flirting with her boyfriend.

"Not that you all are any better," Mai mumbled, fiddling with the plastic knife on Aang's side.

"Aw, Mai," elbowing her, Jet leaned across the table, flashing Katara a toothy smirk, "don't be so sour. Not all of these dweebs are so bad."

"Hey, doofus," Toph slapped the grin off of Jet's face, "I get annoyed with these nerds as much as the next guy, but we're trying to eat here."

Jet scowled at her, but decided to stay silent and continue eating his food. Katara hadn't eaten with her childhood friends, since for the first two years of college, her schedule never coincided with theirs. But now, junior year, she was thrown face first into the tension between the Capital kids and the city kids, where she and her friends had grown up, and it wasn't too pretty.

It seemed, though, that she wasn't the only uncomfortable one. Zuko sat, silently, and ate without looking up at his friends. If Katara wasn't mistaken, he _was_ the only one with friends from both groups, including her brother, so she guessed the drama didn't affect him too much.

 _That's Zuko for you_ , she thought. Though she didn't know him too well, or at all really, she had heard way more than enough about him to draw a conclusion on his personality. He was widely liked on campus, since he didn't meddle in others affairs outside of the clubs or teams he was a part of, and occasionally made an appearance at a party or two.

"You okay?" Suki whispered, when she noticed her friend staring into space.

"Yea," Katara's eyes darted towards Zuko, who had been watching her idly, "yea."


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: A short part about the girls and their friendship. This is a sort of skimpy one shot, with some plot that jumps around, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless._

* * *

 ** _Nightfall_**

So _this_ was enemy territory.

Not too bad.

Maneuvering her way through the hallways, Katara stopped in front of the second to last door on the right side, breathed slowly, and knocked on the door.

"Hey!" Ty Lee swung the door open, and Katara jumped backwards. "Glad you could make it."

Laughing awkwardly, Katara hugged her, "Glad you invited me."

Mai sat, tucked into the corner of her bed, and read a book, as Ty Lee lead Katara over to the rug on the floor.

"Talk to me," said Ty Lee. "What's up with your life?"

"I don't know. Nothing really. I just moved seats and now I've made some friends, I guess," joking, Katara rubbed her arm.

Mai shot her a look.

"Or…not, I suppose," she backtracked.

"Don't worry about Mai," Ty Lee pointed at her with her thumb. "She's just jealous because Zuko and Jet totally have the hots for you."

"I am not," Mai retorted, and Katara wouldn't have been able to read her expression if she tried. It was difficult, when everything she said carried the same tone.

"Did you know Zuko and Mai dated in high school?" Ty Lee covered her mouth with her hand, giggling softly.

"Ugh, can't you ever just keep your mouth shut?" Mai threw a pillow at her roommate. Shockingly, Katara noted, Mai looked almost regretful when the cushion collided with Ty Lee's head.

There was silence, matched only with Ty Lee's pouting, before Mai stood slowly and joined them on the floor.

"I genuinely don't care," Mai said sincerely, but not rudely, as she turned to Katara. "It just takes me a while to warm up to people. But you seem cool."

The night went well.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: Another chapter! Yay! Just one step closer to that Zutara finish...hehe. Poor Zuko and his inability to literally ever open up to anyone. The dweeb._

* * *

 ** _April_**

By this time of the year, Zuko didn't even bother trying to wake up early, it just happened. Sokka and Suki went through their usual morning half-slumber, half-conversation with him, and then he pushed out the door a little before he had originally planned. So, yea, months earlier he would have put a _lot_ of effort into being early, but now he had changed, grown, and totally didn't do things for random girls in his morning classes.

 _I'm definitely not the type of guy to think with my dick,_ Zuko insisted, before turning down the path that led to the pond. _Definitely._

Though, if that was the case, he wouldn't have been able to explain to anyone why on Earth he was heading to the fields before class on a Thursday morning. It wasn't like he ever visited this spot, aside from the jogs he took with Jet, but those were always after nightfall.

Thankfully, no one was around to ask him in the first place. In fact, once he'd reached the lake and taken a peak around the benches, his heart dropped. The girl he _definitely, one hundred percent_ was not there to see was nowhere in sight. With a sigh, he almost turned on his heel back in the direction of campus, before an idea dawned on him.

"The rocks," he whispered to himself. Where else would she go? She did seem the type to like her privacy while being close to nature, and there was no place within a mile range as perfect for that as the boulders on the edge of the lake.

After a few minutes, she came into sight. Her hair was down, twirling over the white cardigan she wore, and her flats were kicked off a few feet away as her toes danced on the water.

"What a coincidence," Zuko started, trying to sound cocky, but only succeeding at sounding over-rehearsed and kinda stalker-ish. Rubbing the back of his neck, he felt his cheeks warm, "seeing you here…" He attempted to chuckle slightly, in order to relieve some tension.

"Oh, really, Prince?" She hopped from the ledge she sat on, landing gracefully into the grass. Slowly, she floated to him. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were following me."

"So we're doing nicknames now?" He retorted, inching towards her. Her bare feet touched the tips of his sneakers, and he could feel her chest moving upwards and downwards against his as they stood, silent for a minute, staring at each other. Naturally, as he was over six foot and had more than a few inches on her, his neck felt stiff as he looked teasingly into her blue eyes, down to her lips, where her smirking expression matched his.

She broke the silence, her tongue darting out to wet the sides of her mouth before speaking, "I guess we are."

"Know what else we're doing?" He removed his hands from where they resided, buried deep in his pockets, and brought them to her hips. At the contact, she jolted, silently, and then contained herself once more. Her eyes were wide but her smirk had not faded.

Stepping closer, on top of his shoes, she lowered her voice, "What else are we doing?"

"This."

With a swift movement, he lifted her upwards, so her feet dangled off the ground, and paced towards the water before tossing her in. She didn't go very deep, and caught herself in the shallow wake, but not without getting almost completely soaked and muddy on one side; white cardigan, blue tank top and all.

"Oh, you are so gonna pay for that, you jerk!" For a second, Zuko was afraid she would react angrily. After all, she did have a reputation for being "miss perfect."

"What are you gonna do about it, Princess?" He teased, almost unable to finish his sentence, as she splashed dirt and water up at him. At this point, he had given up on staying clean, and kicked off his shoes before heading towards the water.

"Steer clear of the rocks," she warned.

"You really are a princess."

"Oh?" She splashed him and he ducked under the water. When his head popped back up on her other side, she almost gasped. "And why am I a princess?"

"Goody-two-shoes, always raising your hand in class, never breaking any rules."

"I didn't know you were so observant."

"Not me," Zuko lifted his hands in defense. "Jet."

"Jet?"

"Don't pretend like you didn't notice Jet staring at you all through first semester. I was surprised you even bothered to come and sit anywhere near him."

"Well," she swam towards him, doggy paddling to keep her head afloat, "maybe I moved for someone else."

Instantly, his eyes turned towards the blue water, and the smile disappeared from his face. Wincing at his own awkwardness, he decided to change the subject, "I, uh, I think I'm gonna drive upstate to visit my sister this weekend."

She got the message. Truthfully, she felt silly she even tried in the first place. To get Zuko, basically the king of the school, to flirt, much less admit some sort of feelings, seemed impossible. "Are you driving up with Mai and Ty Lee?"

"Yea, actually. Since the four of us all grew up together, we like to visit my sister together, too. She's still in high school, and a little crazy, so."

"I get it. My family life was crazy, too."

"Really? Tell me about it."

The two swam more, talking about growing up and their old neighborhoods and high schools, before strolling down the path back to their dorms in their soaked clothing. It was 10 a.m., way past their morning seminar.

"I think my dorm is closer. Wanna head over there to wash off? I have my own bathroom and Suki's never home."

"Uh," Zuko hesitated. Him? Walking alone into some girl's dorm? Imagine the rumors, the stories, the loss of his "lone wolf, no nonsense" reputation. But she simply smiled innocently at him, and so he complied. "Let's go."

Her dorm was barren, but very organized. It was clear she and Suki knew how to keep tidy, much unlike Sokka and himself. After taking turns in the shower, the two sat on the floor, in the middle of the rug, and discussed a movie they'd seen last summer.

"I can't believe it. I've never met a person who likes _The Dragon of the West_ as much as I do," Katara gawked.

"Never thought you'd have a nerdy side," Zuko teased, leaning backwards onto his arm. "Should've guessed it, though."

"You know," Katara teased, pushing his shoulder, "you're not too bad once you ease up on that 'angry all the time' act."

"Who says it's an act?"

"I do."

"And who gives you the right to do so?" Zuko raised an eyebrow. "If I remember correctly, I've only known you for a couple of months."

"Well then," Katara scoffed. "Let's promise we'll make it many more."

"Promise?" Zuko rolled his eyes. "What are we, eight?"

"Chill out," lifting a pinkie, she tested him with a smirk. "Are you in?"

He paused, and his stoic look dropped to a smile, "For sure."

Their pinkies interlocked, and they broke out laughing. It was refreshing, to be able to joke with someone so innocently.

That is, until Toph barged in.

Immediately, Zuko jumped backwards, donning the cold expression she so often saw him use.

"No way," she snorted, pointing at the two. "I heard some shocking news this morning. Apparently, fun-hating Zuko was seen splashing in the lake with I-never-break-any-rules Katara. I almost didn't believe it."

"Okay, Toph, calm down. We get it," said Katara.

"Oh, yea, I bet you two are getting it!" She smirked. "Listen, I may be blind, but I'm a criminology major for a reason. I can sniff out any secrets you two are hiding. And I think the biggest secret is your total crush on each other."

Did she _have_ to be so blunt?


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: This part is really long and is split up into two chapters, but still takes place on the same day. Finally! Some actual action between these idiots._

* * *

 ** _Next May_**

The car ride was long, as usual, but now that Zuko was a senior, he had way more time on his hands. It had been almost a year since the three of them had last visited Azula, but as usual, it was worth it. She was about to graduate high school, and had been accepted to all the colleges she applied to. Of course, nothing else was expected.

Ty Lee sat in the passenger seat of the car, painting her toenails against the glove department. Mai sat in the back, twirling a plastic knife on her fingertip.

"I think it's so creepy you carry that thing around, Mai."

"Thanks."

Besides a few quips from the two girls, the car ride was silent. Zuko had other things on his mind.

"So, are you gonna take over your dad's business?"

At least Ty Lee was to the point. Or maybe it was naïveté. Either way, honesty was refreshing.

"I sincerely have no idea. What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know. I think Mai and I are gonna move in together. Maybe I'll pursue dancing or fortune telling or something fun. Mai'll probably be some sort of assassin."

"I'm seriously concerned about what you two have been doing the last four years. You were supposed to find a _passion_ in college," Zuko laughed, to his own surprise. It was difficult for him to find humor in such stressful times. His dad was getting old, and his uncle had no interest in taking over his dad's business, so the responsibility was on him.

"When are you gonna ask Katara to marry you? Or, first, I guess, to be your girlfriend? Actually, maybe before that, to kiss you?"

Zuko stopped short in front of a red light, turning angrily to his right side, "Enough."

"Come on, Zuko," Mai said in her typical monotone fashion, rolling her eyes. "Everyone knows you're in love."

He squinted at her through the driver's mirror, "Whatever."

"Was it weird, finding out your brother was best friends with the guy you're totally in love with?" Suki asked, cross legged as she painted Katara's big toe.

"Not any weirder than finding out my brother was having sex with my best friend," Katara gagged at the thought, inspecting the sheets she sat on. "And for the record, I totally don't appreciate this 'in love' thing."

"We all know it's true."

Suki and Katara jumped at the unknown voice, almost bumping their heads against the ceiling. From the bunk below, which just so happened to be Zuko's bed, Toph revealed herself.

"Don't get so scared, you babies," she teased.

Suki rolled her eyes, "I'm guessing Aang's down there, too?"

"You guessed correctly!" said Aang.

"Great," Katara laughed, sarcastically, "the whole gang is here."

The road-trippers returned that night, and Zuko, after dropping off Mai and Ty Lee and parking, immediately made a rush for Sokka and his dorm. Since it was a Sunday, and finals were in less than two weeks, the gang had decided to start eating dinner together to take the stress off of studying.

"What'd I miss?" He smirked as he walked through door. Sokka shot up, giving him a hug.

"It's felt like forever!"

"It's been a weekend," Zuko tried to sound annoyed, but couldn't help a tiny smile. Suki, from where she sat on the ground, slurping noodles, tossed him a can of beer.

"Come join us, Sparky," Toph invited, tapping the spot on the floor next to her.

So he did, and the group drank and ate noodles until the sun went down and Toph and Aang decided to turn in. Sokka and Suki had already retired to their top bunk, promising to keep the making out tasteful, as the guests were still in watching-distance.

Jet leaned over to Zuko, and pointed to Katara, who was engaged in a deep discussion about ancient warfare with a shockingly impressed Mai and an ogling Ty Lee, "You know, I'm totally over Katara, so it's fine if you make a move."

Zuko didn't even bother reluctancy, he just sighed, "Thanks, man."

"Plus, I'm way into someone else."

"Really?" Zuko's eyebrows raised. "Who?"

"Duh. Ty Lee. And she's so obviously into me."

Watching the way Ty Lee leaned on Mai's shoulder, and how Mai didn't protest, Zuko smirked. "Yea," he responded. "Obviously."

Mai and Ty Lee had went back to their dorm for the night, and Jet followed directly after, trying to find some way to slither his way into their room. By this time, the lovebirds had fallen asleep, so the dorm was silent and still besides for Katara and Zuko.

"Wanna head to the lake?" He offered.

"I wouldn't mind that," she accepted.

The walk over was silent, and neither said a word until they were situated atop a large rock, cross legged.

"How's your Dad?"

"He wants me to take over the family business," Zuko sighed, his hands fidgeting together.

"Don't do it."

"Why?"

"Because," Katara smiled, soothingly, and looked upwards to the moonlight, which reflected beautifully off her cheeks, "you should never do something willingly that makes you unhappy."

Zuko paused for a minute to look at her, the way she was able to maintain such a serious tone but still look content. The same way she could talk about her mother's passing or the trouble of the city she came from and still seem so optimistic.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" She responded, tilting her head in wonder. "Put up with you? It's tough."

"Ha-ha," he rolled his eyes. "How are you always so…wise? You're like my uncle."

"I'll take that as a deep and touching compliment," Katara shrugged. "I'm not. I just like helping other people, that's all. I like being there and learning from their stories. That's why I want to be a therapist."

"So that's why you're friends with me, I guess. To use me for your major?"

He meant it as a joke, and expected her to laugh or hit his shoulder, but she got serious in that way he liked; when her eyes went wide and steady and her nose creased, "I'm friends with you because you're you. You're different than anyone I've ever met. You're like an onion, and each layer you just get more and more complex and-"

He cut her off with a cough. It was _so_ classic him. Every time she tried to get close, to explain some type of feeling, he got uncomfortable.

"How's Azula?" She said, after a beat of awkward nothingness.

"She's fine. She's crazy, I swear it. I hate saying it out loud, because…"

"'Cause it makes it real," Katara finished for him, placing her hand on his knee. "That's how I always felt about my mother."

"Yet, and correct me if I'm wrong, you told me about your mother the second time we ever talked," he smiled at her, lacing his fingers with hers.

"Well, you _did_ steal my necklace."

"As a means of getting back at you, for stealing my seat," he said, pointedly.

"Don't front, Prince," she unlocked her hands from his, and kicked her shoes off. Slowly, she submerged herself into the water below. Once inside, as if to tease him, she motioned him over with a finger. "You did it to get my attention."

Though his shoes were off and he was inches away from the water, Zuko stopped, "Yea."

The world froze, it seemed, as the words bounced off the water, and filled the distance between them.

"What?" She asked, hesitantly, before grabbing his hand and pulling him in with her. "Don't get all serious on me, Prince."

"No," he paused for a second, and held her face by her cheeks, making her lips pop out. His eyebrow twitched upwards, as if he was inspecting her, and she floated, silently, in his embrace. "You're the only person I can be silly around, Katara."

"Yea, I know. It still sort of scares me when you're not all stoic."

"I mean it," he pressed, maintaining his solemn tone, and grabbed her wrists so she'd stop splashing him so much. "You said it yourself, a year ago, when we pinkie promised, that I put that angry mask on. But I didn't believe you, I thought I was made up of anger. You just…saw something more, I guess."

"Well, I do that with everyone." Now it was her turn to pull away, the same way he'd done to her for so long. She was so close to him, and her mouth was hanging open because of how intense his stare was on her.

But then he broke, and a smile erupted upon his face. That same smile she had stared at for a year in seminar, and then across the lunch table, and now in the moonlight.

"I can't front," she sighed. "I can't even pretend like I treat you the same as everyone. See? God, look at you," she said, wriggling a hand from his grasp, and bringing it to the place behind his ear, right where his scar met the clear skin. "How can you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Be so serious, and mean it. Be sincere and honest and angry and hurt, and then under all that be warm and sweet."

"I don't know."

"Me neither," she said, her eyes dropping downwards.

"Katara," he said, and she looked back upwards at him. He felt himself retracting, in this way where he was sure he'd be lit aflame if he let her get any closer.

"Zuko." The way his eyes mixed with the moonlight made them look like a firestorm, and she was reminded of _The Dragon of the West._ In the final scene, the warrior was ready to die in battle, fighting for his country, and so he allowed himself to float off at sea instead of being killed by the enemy. His companion, a dragon, accompanied him, and the two drown together in the ocean, never to be seen again. "Would it kill you if we kissed?"

His kicking under the water stilled for a moment or two. Everything around them was silent. She was ready to die in battle. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again to say, "I'm so sure I'm in love with you."

And that was all it took.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: AH! Smut!_

* * *

Katara's dorm was always empty, since her roommate slept elsewhere, and thank _god_ that was the case.

He could barely get the buttons of his shirt undone as she pressed him against the wall, her lips hungry on his. With a flick of her tongue, his mouth opened in a moan, and the kiss became deeper and wetter.

Once his shirt had dropped to the floor, he spun her around, pinning her firmly against the wall instead, his mouth dropping to her neck as she unhooked her bra behind her back. The warmth of his breath against the cool of his kisses made her hips stir, bucking upwards slightly, and she was ready to move things to her bed.

"How do Suki and Sokka _do_ this?" Zuko complained, trying to find a comfortable way to lay back. They decided on her beneath him.

"I really, really, really don't wanna think about that right now," she covered her face with her hands.

"Ha, I don't blame you."

Her breasts meshed against his bare chest, and he felt the softness of her boobs with the roughness of her hardened nipples. Carefully, he brought a hand up from where it rested upon her hip, and moved the top part of her tank top downwards to expose her chest. His mouth dropped to the right side, where he began to suck on a nipple, and his hand went to the other breast to massage in circular motions.

It was clear he had done this once before, and the battle the two seemed to be fighting was tittering in his favor, as Katara couldn't help but let out a yelp.

"Zuko, fuck, Zuko," she continued to repeat each time he sucked harder, or scraped his teeth against the nipple. "Please, don't stop. Please."

He had no intention of doing so, especially as his other hand moved downwards. She was still wearing her leggings, which she helped him move down her thighs. His digit maneuvered around her pearl, stimulating her at the same time he would suck on her nipple, or her neck, or her ear.

"What do you want, Katara?" Zuko whispered, for arousal as much as for guidance. His voice was stern, and the lovely, soft tone he had used in the lake was disappearing. She _liked_ this side of Zuko, though. The side that was determined, heady and lust filled.

"Inside me, please, Zuko," she begged, hesitant to move her hands to guide him, as she didn't want his motions to stop. "God, Zuko, please."

She hated this, the way he was in complete control of her, and she was intent on gaining her dominance back. But then, carefully, he entered one finger inside of her, pushing in and out slowly. She heard him wince, biting his lip and closing his eyes in order to focus.

"You're," he breathed out, not able to look at her directly, "really tight. Fuck. You're really tight."

 _So this battle wasn't_ ** _completely_** _a lost cause,_ she reasoned to herself, before he thoughts were cut short.

"More," Katara moaned, bucking upwards, and pleased when he added another finger.

"If I would've known," his motion increased, and he began to pump into her faster and faster, until she was sure she was about to orgasm, "you were so in need of an orgasm, Princess, I would've done this sooner."

"Shut-up," she whispered, her eyes narrowing, before she moaned again. "Kiss me."

Swiftly, he brought his face down to meet hers. An arm wrapped around his neck, before their lips pressed together and the kiss stilled, becoming softer. She was close, he could tell, and he licked her smooth bottom lip before bringing his thumb once again to her ember, pushing softly in order to apply heated pressure, and send her over the edge.

Shuddering, he felt her heat tighten around his fingers, her body bucking upwards and shaking as waves of pleasure crashed over her. She moaned his name continuously, moving herself to ride his digits until she was finished. Even afterwards, he stayed inside of her, bringing a fist between his teeth in order to not groan at the sight.

"So sensitive," she breathed as he finally pulled out. She pulsed once again against his palm, which rested over her vulva, and he smiled, before moving his focus to her face. Her eyes were hooded, cheeks bright red, and lips almost bleeding from being bitten to hard. It was a sight he had hoped to see for over year, and it was enough to make him curse under his breath, grinding against her thigh.

It surprised her, the feeling of his erection so close to her heat, and she hummed softly in pleasure, before collecting herself. This was all new to her, and though she was intimated, she also felt lovely in his arms. She noticed the way his eyes seemed to droop over her, and how he couldn't help but stare at her breasts with each heave she took. They sat upwards, facing each other, her butt in the space between her legs.

"We should've done this the minute we met," she admitted, and noticed the way he strained each time her tongue flicked over her lips. It empowered her.

 _Now it's my turn_ , she thought.


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note: AH! More smut!_

* * *

"We should've done this the minute we met," she admitted, and noticed the way he strained each time her tongue flicked over her lips. It empowered her.

 _Now it's my turn_ , she thought.

"Yea," he gulped, as she lifted his hand and brought it to her breast. Teasingly, she held his palm against the nipple, and pressed him slowly against her.

"This is how I do it," she stopped smiling, suddenly, and breathed in as his grip tightened, "when I touch yourself."

The words were almost too much for Zuko, and he felt his cock grow almost fully erect in his underwear. "You touch yourself?" He wanted to add a "Princess," or to raise an eyebrow in a taunting manner, but could only manage a half sigh at the imagery she produced.

"Yes," she breathed. "Do you want to know what I touch myself to?"

"Yes," his cheeks turned red as his other hand moved against her other breast. She removed her own hands from his and began to massage up his legs, her destination clear. "God, yes."

"Since I met you, Prince," she teased, finally reaching his member, and stroking it over the cloth, "I've laid in my bed every night, rubbing myself to the thought of someone."

He barely choked out a "Who?"

"Guess," she smirked, squeezing his erection.

Katara wouldn't have described the sound he omitted as anything less than a growl. It was clear he wanted nothing more than to pounce on her, but she had other ideas in mind. Slowly, she crawled backwards, until her head orbited right above his crotch, and stared up at him. His eyes were hooded with desire, and she could see the way his jaw tightened as she moved her hand to pull his briefs downwards.

Finally, when his erection was fully exposed to her, she looked upwards at his; full, blue wide eyes met fiery ones; and lowered her mouth to kiss the head. He bucked up immediately, and she held back a laugh. Experimentally, her tongue darted from her mouth, licking the slit at the top of his member, and he groaned, gripping the bedsheets.

"Again, Katara, please," Zuko said, moving one hand to her bare back.

She didn't hesitate, and gripped the bottom of his cock in one dainty fist, while enveloping the top in her mouth.

"God," groaning, Zuko closed his eyes, and lifted his hips so as to fit farther into her mouth.

Slowly, she pulled away from him, "Do you like that?" She was testing him. He could tell. Over the course of the year or so they had spent together, she always had the same look on her face whenever she was pressing him; tilted smile, lowered eyebrow.

"Clearly," he mumbled, through gritted teeth, "I like it."

She brought her head downwards, taking him fully into her mouth. With a sucking noise, she brought her head upwards again, licking up his safe the whole way. At the movement, Zuko's head lolled backwards, and she was sure she had seen his eyes roll back into his head.

Satisfied, she smirked, "Do you love it?"

He didn't bother to bring his head back up, "I love it."

"I love you," she said, wriggling herself free from her leggings.

"I've known that," he responded, remaining still. Only when she had moved her underwear to the side, and brought her heat down right above his erection did he bring his eyes back level.

"How long have you known?"

"Sometimes it's just there," Zuko placed his hands on her hips and brought his forehead forward to touch hers. It was all them, at that moment, just the two lovers on the bottom bunk in a dorm room, somewhere in the middle of a warm spring day. She moved deliberately, holding herself open with two fingers, and met him somewhere in the middle, between their two bodies, when the contact became fully and official, and they were finally one. "Reflected by the water."

It happened slowly, because she was tight and he was swollen, but their pulses were in time with one another.

"Full," she whispered, once their hips met. It stung right where his head stretched her, and she placed her hands on his shoulders so as to ask him to wait for a moment or too. "How is it for you?"

But Zuko was fully silent, staring hard into her eyes, focusing all his energy on anything besides the indescribable heat that clenched around him, draining him of any other sensation. Idly, he let out a, "Fine."

She smiled, shyly, and tried not to blush. The feeling was amazing, but it must not have been nearly as amazing as what Zuko was feeling, since it was obvious he was trying so hard to contain himself. Dragging herself upwards, she began to move. It was fidgety at first, each flick of her hips, but then he began to match her rhythm, humping upwards, and the two were joined in dance.

Each motion, she let out a whine of his name, or some other type of grunt, before begging him to move faster, deeper. Needing no other sign, he pulled out from her.

"Zuko," she almost screamed, "Zuko, I'm gonna kill you."

"Trust me."

He moved her underneath him, and held himself as he entered her once more, beginning to set his own rhythm. Zuko moved at a much quicker pace, and grunted each time he thrusted into her. It took minutes before she began to moan.

"Zuko!" This time, it was a scream, and Zuko moved his hand to cup over her mouth.

"Don't," he tried to scold her, but she had started to circulate her hips in the way he liked. "Katara. Fuck. Katara."

His hand tangled into her hair and her fingers raked down his chest. They were right on the edge, but Katara was the first to reach her point.

"I'm going to orgasm, Zuko," she warned, her heat beginning to pulse around his as she shuddered, moaning an elongated 'oh' before gripping the bedsheets, unable to move. That was all Zuko needed, as he thrust one more time, fully into her, and came with a groan of her name. He shook, his body collapsing onto hers, as they breathed together, coming down from their joint high.


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's Note: A sweet ending for our sweeties. I wanted to write something nice and fluffy, since the other one shot I'm working on is dark and not so cherry. Please please please review so I can see what I did right and what I can do in the future! I really appreciate it - it makes my day!_

* * *

 ** _Afterwards_**

"How are we ever gonna break it to Sokka?" Zuko said, still half naked, wrapped in the sheets and Katara. Her arm laid lazily, strewn across his chest, and her leg was buried somewhere between his.

"I think he'll be fine, especially after I had to go through the whole Suki thing," Katara reasoned, twirling his hair. "Well, 'fine' in Sokka terms, at least."

"We'll fight that battle when it comes," he planted a kiss upon her forehead.

"I'd fight any battle with you," her fingers danced upon his chest, tracing the marks she had left on him minutes before. "I'd drown at sea with you."

Zuko smiled. The same smile that mixed anger with happiness so beautifully. "You're my dragon."

"Yes," Katara chuckled. "You're my dragon, too."


End file.
